Why We Love Our Socks So Much: Insider Secrets

Do you have a favourite pair? Or do you simply love them because they keep your tooties warm? Provide essential comfort and protection? Then there is, of course, the style element, the colour coordination or the statement choice of an extra frill or fun pattern? Those that fit like a perfect second skin? Or even the sports design elements? But did you ever stop to think how this simple, everyday item is crafted? Find out more in Why We Love Our Socks So Much: Insider Secrets

Here is a strange fact: Albert Einstein was very proud of the fact that he never wore socks. We know this because he wrote about it to his cousin, and eventual second wife, Else

‘Even on the most solemn occasions, I got away without wearing socks and hid the lack of civilisation in high boots.’

Albert Einstein

But Einstein wasn’t just doing this out of rebellion. He also wrote that when he was young, he noticed that the big toe always ended up making a hole in a sock. So he stopped wearing them.

Yet they are, and it seems always will be a beloved gift. A holiday and celebration present of choice, viewed as a thoughtful, comfortable gift, easy to send, affordable, and practical. But what goes into making a pair?

Falke (pronounced falké), the German makers, was founded in 1895, in modest beginnings by a craftsman. Franz Falke-Rohen was a roofer who worked as a seasonal knitter during the winter months in Schmallenberg. 

Initially making hand-knitted socks, the company grew into producing specialised clothing, including the ergonomic sport system, and hosiery.

The Franz Falke-Rohen Hosiery Factory was initially established primarily as a means of making a living. With the acquisition of the ‘Wool and Hair Spinning Mill J. Meisenburg’ in 1918, the company grew into a significant industrial enterprise. 

Since 1990, it has been run as a family-owned business in its fourth generation and has developed into an internationally operating premium company with around 3,000 employees.

Angela Langer, Falke Head of Product Development, shows us the process of making something that may seem simple and everyday, but is a complex process. For example, each sock is checked several times by hand. Each pass through a total of up to 30 pairs of hands during the entire production process. And that’s just one pair.

Select The Yarn

Various functional and natural fibres in numerous colours are stored in the yarn warehouse and selected individually for each item

Knitting

There are numerous machines in the knitting room for different models. Knitting machines use the yarns to produce a sock tube. The Luxury Line socks are knitted on Bentley Komet double-cylinder machines.

Separating the sock tubes

The socks are knitted in tubes on the knitting machines. These must be separated by hand.

Hand-linking

This is followed by the most time-consuming step – hand linking. The toe of the sock is closed by hand to create a particularly fine seam.

Shaping

The socks are shaped in the shaping room. Here, the material is smoothed.

Sole printing

The sole of the foot is printed with the Falke branding, size, and material composition.

Labelling/Packaging

The final step is to attach the labels, after which the socks are ready for delivery to retailers.

Angela Langer goes on to share some key personal ‘sock moments’ over her years working at the company.

‘I was 25 years old, had just finished my degree and was in Schmallenberg at Falke, for an interview for a vacancy in product development. Having learnt to knit on fine hosiery machines, I was so impressed by the wide variety of knitting machines and their distinctive smell in the Schmallenberg knitting mill. I watched the double-cylinder machines and the knitting process with awe, as these machines are significantly more complex to operate than a single-cylinder machine.’   

 

She even has a favourite pair of socks, the Falke SK4 Compression Light.

Every time I wear them, I am reminded of my first ski tours around the Heidelberger Hütte in Austria. The movement inside the boot requires a sock that fits perfectly yet is not too thick and doesn’t cause blisters, which is quite some feat. We consulted with mountain guides and carried out tests until the product was ready, and in the process, we climbed a summit or two on skis!

We may even say she is a bit of a sock addict, noticing without realising consciously or subconsciously how much they enter her world.

‘I always find myself looking with interest and intrigue at the legwear people are wearing, especially if it happens to be Falke. In fact, I recognise most of our products just by looking at them. If the sock then also reflects the occasion or activity we had planned for it, the production and design teams have done a good job.‘

She also shares the importance of being part of a generational family of sock makers and how passing it down to new generations serves as a kind of inspiration point.

Drawing on the experiences of the generations before us to identify what we need to improve, particularly with regard to the digitisation of specialist knowledge, is vital to ensuring we are well-positioned for the future. Nevertheless, unconventional thinking required to find new solutions must be preserved from past generations. I’ve had incredible mentors in this respect. The fact that I, too, have the opportunity to pass on my knowledge is, of course, something quite special within my own family.

Interestingly, the company has an in-house archive which serves as a place of inspiration.

‘This is where we keep old promotional materials as well as socks from the past, to preserve the company’s heritage. Archival material can be a great source of inspiration for modern, innovative products.’  

So finally, what does she feel about people who don’t wear socks? Let’s face it, Albert Einstein had his reasons, but does she have strong feelings?

‘It is not always obvious whether someone is wearing socks; they might be wearing invisible ones. That is why I am always cautious when it comes to making a judgment. As a sock brand, we make sure our range includes products that solve problems effectively, even if that means producing socks that disappear almost completely inside the shoe.’

Falke archive advertising

So next time you choose pink and red stripes of a blue-green diamond pattern, to match your outfit or sports socks for your best running day, take a moment (just a little one) and think about how much went into making your favourite pair.

Find out all about the brand Falke.com

If you enjoyed reading Why We Love Our Socks So Much: Insider Secrets, then why not read Explore How The Moon Smells Divine here

.Cent Magazine, London. Luxury Mindset